The Knife's Edge
by Caitriona3
Summary: Darcy Lewis' life was coming together in a way she never expected and it was probably too perfect. Changes both inside and outside of the Avengers' private world are going to cause some upheaval, but what will she be in the end - victim, survivor, loser, or victor?
1. So Many Changes

_Author's Note - The rape/non-con will mostly be told in verbal reports of instances happening offstage, but if this is a trigger for you, please, please take note. I am posting this with an interesting amount of trepidation. I'm not sure what led me to writing this, but the story suddenly started bothering me and demanded it be written. The story line is one I look forward to getting into now that I have introduced the world, and I hope you will bear with me until the end. I know this does not (and will not) match the usual A/B/O type of story, but I wanted to take something and say what if? Never fear - I am still working on my WIPs - I have not given them up, and I won't. One way or another I am determined to see them through._

**Chapter 1 – So Many Changes**

Darcy Lewis stuffed papers into boxes marked "School Stuff". The car taking her and Jane to Stark Tower would be there before too much longer and she needed to finish getting things trashed, packed, or just generally cleared up. Why did she keep some of this anyway? It's not like she needed it anymore. Every so often she would stop and read a fragment or two. She had to shake her head. All of this seemed so elementary to her now.

"I can't believe I had to write this," she muttered, glancing at the page in her hands.

_Excerpt - You Are Who You Are: A Historical View on Designations by Darcy Lewis, Beacon Secondary School_

People seem to be under some weird kind of impression that designations are flexible. A change here, a change there, and hey presto! You too can be the 'fill-in-the-blank' of your choice! Designations simply don't work that way. You are born to a certain designation and while you can negate it, you cannot change it. Designations have nothing to do with sexual preference or the ability to have sex. They are purely related to biology, fertility, and a person's ability (or lack thereof) to procreate. Social norms or practices have nothing to do with designation.

The current triad designation format is a relatively new form. It only became necessary after the Industrial Revolution. Prior to that, humanity lived in much closer context with the world around us, particularly in a certainly level of harmony with the so-called 'animal kingdom'. Although our minds and spirits quested both outward and inward, our physical bodies kept many of the same rhythms as other mammalian species found in nature. We were male and female with no need for any other identifiers. Our mating cycle turned with the season and our lives went on. Humanity created many taboos and ceremonies to control our natures, but quite a bit of that was mere stage dressing to keep the peace as people chose to live in closer and closer contact as history moved forward.

A change was noticed sometime during or just after the Industrial Revolution. Men and women began being born who did not possess the characteristics humanity shared with other forms of mammalian life. The new arrivals overset the ancient designations of male and female. Although their numbers have always been few, less than five percent of the world's population, they are still a sizable enough group to require some kind of recognition. Various ideas were tried, but none stuck until scientists decided to fall back on the Greek alphabet. For some reason, this particular designation resonated and held. Thus came the current triad designation format.

Omegas – these are the traditional females. Omegas are the only designation capable of sustaining and bearing life. Like most natural life forms, Omegas have a cycle of fertility. They will go into a time commonly referred to as a 'heat' during which they are exceedingly fertile and give off a pheromone to attract an Alpha. The 'heat' creates a biological imperative to mate. This cycle occurs between three to four times a year unless the Omega is pregnant or nursing. Omegas have a high probability – over ninety-three percent – of becoming pregnant if mounted by an Alpha during her heat. Her child is ninety-one percent likely to be either Alpha or Omega. Only nine percent of live births are Betas – these are generally from the few times a Beta manages to sire the child.

Alphas – these are the traditional males. Alphas possess physical attributes that connect them to our past and to the rest of nature. Unbonded Alphas will be drawn by scent to an Omega during her heat. The pheromone sets off his biological imperative to mate and he will seek to mount her. He in turn will give off his own mating scent designed to increase the Omega's 'frenzy' or willingness to mate. At this point, it becomes impossible for either side to change their mind or refuse. At the climax of the sexual act, the Alpha increases in size and cannot withdraw from the Omega until the act is completed. Scientists believe this is to increase the likelihood of fertilization.

Betas – these can be either male or female. They have lost the characteristics of the more natural world. Both males and females are capable of having and enjoying sex, but there is no biological imperative to do so. A Beta female does not have a cycle of fertility. She is infertile – incapable of bearing life. A Beta male may sire a child on an Omega during her heat, but it is highly unlikely. On average, a Beta male's likelihood of fathering a child is less than eight percent. (Compare this with an Alpha's likelihood – over ninety percent.)

"What are you reading?" Jane interrupted, poking her head in the door.

Darcy glanced up and had to smile as Jane seemed to be vibrating in place. Her fellow Omega had been vibrating with excitement for the past two weeks. Sometimes it was hard to tell what thrilled Jane more – the idea of finally moving in with her bondmate Thor, the chance to play with all of Tony Stark's tech-toys, or working with Bruce Banner and Betty Ross. Not that Darcy cared, she was just happy Jane continued to insist she needed Darcy with her. Who would turn down an opportunity to live and work in such a prime location?

"Some of my old school stuff," Darcy replied with a grimace as she dumped the first paper in the box. "You should see some of this." She glanced at the new paper she pulled from the drawer. "I mean…oh my God! This is just ridiculous." She waved it at her friend.

Jane grinned and snatched the paper. Darcy tried to grab it back, but Jane danced back out of reach and began to read.

_Excerpt - Understanding My Designation: A Journal by Darcy Lewis, Beacon Secondary School_

You know, Ms. Slocomb, I'm not sure why you thought it'd be a good idea to assign us to write this in journal format. Now you're going to just get me instead of me being all formal and together. (picture me shrugging here) But since you asked, here we go!

What do I understand about being an Omega? I know that once every three months I'm a raging set of hormones and my parents are a freaking mess. I'm not sure my dad can fit another gun in the house and my mom is probably going to start electrifying the grass. See, people seem to think having a figure like this is a great thing, and yeah, I can see where it might be…you know, eventually? When I find an Alpha I'd be willing to let mount me? Right now, when I'm not on my hormonal roller coaster, I've got no intention of being mounted or having a kid. I want to get out, see something of the world, maybe even go to college.

What does that mean? It means I can tell you with precision exactly where every Omega shelter in the city is located. It means I am down on official record as unavailable. It means any Alpha that comes sniffing around my house at the wrong time can be arrested for attempted assault.

I like being an Omega. I think it's some kind of cool to know that one day, when I'm ready, I will be able to have a kid with the Alpha of my choice. Yeah, the whole 'biology runs my life' shtick can be a pain, but it is what it is. I'm not crazy enough to go trying those suppressant drugs. I mean…when the side effects list is longer than the list of ingredients in artificially sweetened cereal? And one of them is 'potentially fatal'? I looked it up – those things are fatal something like sixty percent of the time! I'm thinking no! I can go celibate.

Okay, so I know you wanted us to be more serious, but really? I've been doing this kind of assignment for years! Whatever, whatever – easy grade, right?

As an Omega, I've got the three day cycle. For three days I get to go through wave after wave of heating up, the heat itself, cooling down, and a nap. Me, myself, and I? Do I get to be one of the lucky ones who gets one of those four hour waves and a four months cycle? Nope! Thank you genetics…I have a two hour wave and a three month cycle. What does that mean? It means if and when I ever do decide to go for it, I better pick an Alpha with one kickass amount of stamina or I'll need to pick more than one or I'll just have to suffer through some of the waves…gee, kind of like I do all the time right now? A two hour wave, seriously?

Anyway, silver lining – thanks to worker compensation laws, I get an additional two days of paid leave after my cycle, so hey! One full week of paid time off every three months – and that's in addition to the regular stuff? Not a bad gig really. It translates to four weeks of cycle leave, two weeks of vacation time, one week of holidays, and one week of sick time – all fully paid.

Kind of makes me feel bad for the betas…they only get half that time.

"It does sound like you!" Jane laughed. "Especially the smug, 'look at all the time off I get' part."

"Oh, ha, very ha, boss lady," Darcy stuck her tongue out, but had to laugh. "At least that one was a fun one. It sure beats the pretentious ones."

"Pretentious?"

"Yeah, where they had us try and write full-fledged research papers. We were freshmen maybe?" Darcy shook her head.

Jane lifted an eyebrow and picked up another page.

_Excerpt from Snakes in the Grass: The Dangers of My Dynamic by Darcy Lewis, Beacon Secondary School_

While being an Omega is a positive, it does have some very definite drawbacks. An Omega's cycle means the continuation of the species and the bringing of life, but it also leaves her vulnerable. If she does not retreat – either with female friends or with her choice of mate or mates – she will draw every unbonded Alpha within scenting distance…and the scent of a heat travels a long way. This will often lead to violence if the Alphas chose to fight for the right to mount her. Death and destruction are not uncommon in those instances.

The heat is a catch-22 for both the Omega and Alpha designations. Once the heat begins, both are at the mercy of their biology and refusal is not an option. Regardless of their emotional standpoint, their bodies and the pheromones they produce will overwhelm their senses. This inevitability has led to some major cultural and legal traditions. An unbonded Omega who chooses not to retreat or go into seclusion during her heat cannot level an accusation of rape. This is to protect the Alphas who cannot fight the biological imperative to mate. Unfortunately this leaves some loopholes – what about Omegas who are prevented from going into their retreat? It can be difficult to legally prove that someone deliberately caused such a delay.

An unbonded Omega in heat can be mounted by any Alpha strong enough to take her. Technically this is true of the bonded as well, but there are some pretty strict taboos against this. Since a bonded Omega's heat scent is muted, the Alpha can control his actions. To take a bonded Omega in such a way does qualify as rape, but the Alpha will be lucky if he gets to court. The bond creates an aggressive, almost feral possessive instinct (on both sides) demanding the mate be protected. Any threat to a bondmate will draw out a violent reaction that usually leaves the unwelcome outsider dead. The law will take no action against a bondmate reacting to protect their mate and their bond.

"Did I really have to write this stuff?" Darcy demanded as she took the paper from Jane and tossed it in the box. She taped it closed. "I remember school being boring, but seriously? How basic can you get? They should have had us writing this stuff in junior high."

"Research papers?" Jane teased.

"Okay," she admitted, "less with the research paper style maybe, but most of us started going through puberty in junior high. Why wait until high school to make sure we knew what the hell was going on with our own bodies? Shouldn't it have been included with general sex ed?"

Jane started to answer, but was interrupted by her phone ringing. She answered it, stepping into the hall, as Darcy continued packing. A few minutes later she darted back in. "Darcy!"

"Yeah?" Green eyes lifted curiously.

"That was our ride," her friend replied. "They'll be here in thirty minutes. You ready?"

Darcy ran a quick eye over the room. Boxes stacked haphazardly around the floor and empty nails waited forlornly on blank walls. "Yep, I think so!"

"Then come on!" Jane laughed. "Let the movers worry about the rest. It's why Tony pays them after all."

"You got it, boss lady."

Darcy turned and left the room, the boxes and their contents already being swept to the back of her memory as she focused intently on the new future open before her.

_Two years later…_

Darcy repressed a laugh as she watched Jane arguing with her fellow scientists over some numbers. That paper kept getting creased and torn as the four pulled at it or shoved it in each other's faces to point something out. They agreed, disagreed, and switched sides every few minutes. It looked like they were having a grand time.

"What's with Team Science?"

Her boyfriend's amused voice brought her head around and she gave him a bright smile. "There've been some huge energy spikes going on in Colorado," she explained as she turned to face him. "Jane thinks it might be some kind of alien technology because some of the readings are similar to the Bifrost. Bruce disagrees claiming the radiation levels are much more common with certain earth readings and Betty thinks they're both wrong and it's just a natural cycle we haven't previously observed."

"And Tony?" Clint grinned as he moved to stand beside her, slipping an arm around her waist.

"He's playing devil's advocate for everybody." Darcy's shoulders shook as she held back another laugh when Jane's voice reached an epic note of command.

"Ah," Clint nodded in a mock-serious attitude. "He's fulfilling his chief role in everybody's life."

"To be a pain in the ass," she agreed solemnly.

Tony looked over at them. "I can hear you, you know," he pointed out.

"Oh, we know," Clint grinned unrepentantly.

"We just don't care," Darcy chimed in. Tony huffed, stuck his tongue out at them, and then turned back to the ongoing battle of scientists. She rolled her eyes. "They clearly don't need me here," she said, looking up at him.

"Good," he pronounced, his arm tightening around her. "Nat and Cap called in this morning and they think they're getting close to something or someone. Nat was being cagey about the whole thing." He rolled his eyes before grinning down at her. "Come on. I'm in the mood for some lunch."

"Sounds good to me." She grabbed her purse and her phone. "Hey, JARVIS?"

"Yes, Miss Lewis," the AI replied serenely.

"If they come up for air anytime soon, let them know I've gone to lunch, would you?"

"Of course, Miss Lewis."

"Thanks, J," she grinned at a camera. "You're the best."

"Naturally."

Clint chuckled. "Sometimes I wonder how much personality Tony programmed in and how much JARVIS has picked up from the insanity around here."

"Either way, it's best to stay on his good side," she replied. "When he finally decides we've all mucked the place up enough and takes over, I intend to be one of the allies."

Both of them laughed as they made their way out of the tower. Darcy cherished the peaceful look on Clint's face. She had met the Beta male within days of moving into the tower. There had been such darkness in his eyes when they first met. She knew his story, of course. Thor told her and Jane about Loki's return to earth and how much damage he did – both to the city and to the individuals he met. Clint and Erik were still recovering from his mind rape and everyone in the tower still went a little quiet when someone mentioned Coulson.

She made it her mission to help him. It had taken a long time, but he finally opened up to her and their relationship flourished. They moved from acquaintances to close friends in no time. Both of them loved sarcastic commentary, pranks, and Saturday afternoons in front of a big screen with something from Hollywood's golden age. Unfortunately, from her point of view, things stalled there for a long, long time. She couldn't figure out why until one day Clint showed up at her apartment.

"So, hey," he said, scratching the back of his head. "I…I kind of wanted to talk to you."

She stepped back, surprise clear on her face. "Sure," she agreed. "You can always talk to me, you know that."

"Um…well, privately." His eyes flicked around the room in a quick, but suspicious manner.

"That's easy enough," she told him, closing the door and patting his arm. "Just talk. I had JARVIS cut all the feeds when I moved in. Unless I ask him to, or there's an emergency, my apartment is a complete blank." A confused frown crossed his face and she lifted a brow. "What? You didn't know that?"

He gave a self-depreciating chuckle. "I'm a SHIELD agent," he replied simply. "I just accept that everything is bugged."

"Not here," Darcy insisted, curling up on the couch. "You don't have to worry about that here."

"Right," he nodded before sitting down next to her and staring down at his hands.

She opened her mouth a time or two to speak, but he would glance at her and she'd let her voice fall quiet. Finally he took a deep breath. "Look, Darce, we've been having a great time and all, and I know you're wondering what's up with me, but…" He trailed off.

"Is this the 'we're just going to be friends' speech?" Darcy asked, one eyebrow going up. "I'm a big girl, I can take it." She could too. It would be a bit of a wrench because she was fairly certain her feelings ran deeper than that, but she wasn't some teenage ninny either.

His lips thinned. "I'm just a Beta-."

"Which has never bothered me," she interrupted.

"And," he continued, talking over her, "we're not…well, I'm not…" He let out an annoyed sound and took a breath. "I'm asexual."

Now she did blink in surprise. That was not something she expected. The silence stretched out and his face went a little remote. He began to gather himself to stand and she put a hand on his arm. "Wait," she said.

"Why?" he demanded, his voice a little hoarse.

"Give me just a moment?" she asked, a hint of pleading in her voice. "It was just…unexpected."

"But you get it, right?" he asked. "Why a relationship won't work? We're not compatible."

She let go of his arm and smacked him softly on the head. "We're not sexually compatible," she huffed at him. "That's completely different." He opened his mouth to protest and she held up her hand. "I'm not saying it's not important and we might not have issues to work out, but a relationship doesn't require sex any more than sex requires a relationship."

"Sooner or later, you're going to want both," he said quietly. Now he shook his head at her when she started to reply. "I know you," he gave a sad smile. One hand reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "I know you," he repeated, "and you were meant for both. You love being an Omega…you love the idea of having kids one day." Now he gave a small laugh. "And after watching you with the scientists, you are going to be one kickass mother. More than that though," he continued, growing serious once more, "you're a sensual creature." Her brow wrinkled and he shook his head. "It's not a bad thing. It's just who you are – tactile, warm, and amatory." She bit her lip and he nodded. "I can't give any of that to you."

"So we figure something out," she told him, voice strong and firm. "I've got a lot of dreams, and I don't want to give any of them up without trying to find a solution."

"And bonding?" Clint pointed out. "That won't be something you choose."

Darcy shook her head. "What is the likelihood of that?" she asked. "Bonds are rare...insanely rare." She wrinkled her nose. "Okay, so we've got two bonded pairs here. The odds of a third are…I'm not even sure how remote they are considering the odds of two bonded pairs in one building are astronomical." There was a pause and then she giggled. "And doesn't it just figure one half of one of those bonds would have to come from another planet! Where do you think mine's going to come from? A time traveler?" She shook her head. "Sorry, but I've met Steve, and nothing zinged."

Clint shook his head, but couldn't keep the tiny smile from curling his lips. "Okay," he finally said. "We can try."

It had been a struggle, but they finally managed to carve out something for the two of them. They would curl up together to watch movies or just to sleep. If she sometimes wanted more than he could offer, she put it away. It wouldn't be fair to ask it of him. He would give her these looks from time to time, but he never called her on it. Sometimes his eyes held a muted guilt, and she'd have to either ignore it or lecture him out of it. She still secluded herself with friends during her heats, but nobody questioned it. Most of them figured she and Clint just weren't ready for kids. Darcy was sure Natasha knew better, but they never discussed it. The redheaded assassin seemed to make it her business to check on Darcy whenever Clint was working, so Darcy could only presume Natasha approved of their relationship. Jane and Thor certainly did.

Okay, so they didn't have sex…they shared everything else. The love between them was real, and growing.

Her life seemed to be on the right track, probably too perfect all things considered, but she loved it. Or she had…until recently. Recently she began to feel unfulfilled. Something inside of her…searched. She didn't know for what, but she kept straining to see or hear something just beyond her reach. It felt like something woke up in her recently and it couldn't go back to sleep.

She had never felt a pull like this before.

Why now?

Just when her life was coming together like nothing she could have imagined, why was she feeling this yearning?

Darcy shoved it away. She would think about it later. Right now she intended to enjoy lunch with her boyfriend. They spent a nice hour in the café, sipping their drinks and making up stories about some of the people they watched walk past in the park. Talk swirled around them in eddies and flows. Darcy's ears pricked up as she heard something about an Omega drug, but Clint's phone range before she could try and tune in on the conversation.

He answered before the second ring. "Barton." Darcy watched as his eyes lit with a muted relief and then turned puzzled. She raised an eyebrow, but he just shook his head. "Okay, but…yeah…Nat…" He hung up after a few more moments.

"So, what's up with Tasha?" Darcy asked.

"According to her," he replied, confusion still lacing his tone, "we need to get back to the tower because she pulled a 'me' by bringing home a guest and Fury's less than amused even though Cap's happy about it."

"Uh…what?"

He nodded. "Right there with you."

They started towards home. Darcy mused over his words for a minute and then shrugged. "Okay, if she pulled a 'you', when was the last time you brought someone back and the bosses weren't happy?"

"I haven't got-." His voice cut off and he blinked. For a moment his steps faltered and then they picked back up, slightly faster than before. "The last time I brought someone in unexpectedly," he answered in a tight voice, "I flipped Nat."

She hurried along beside him. "When you talked her into changing sides?" she exclaimed. "Does that mean she and Steve have….flipped someone?"

"It's the only thing I can think of," he nodded.

No further words were exchanged until they reached the tower. As the elevator opened on the Avengers' private floors, she could see Clint being subsumed by Hawkeye. The agent turned Avenger stepped out of the elevator, eyes sweeping from one side of the room to the other before fixing on the group waiting for them. He carefully kept Darcy behind him until Steve stepped up.

"Stand down, Hawkeye," Steve ordered, his 'Captain' voice coming into play.

Hawkeye hesitated for a moment before his shoulders relaxed and he gave a sharp nod. "Cap," Clint said quietly. He let Darcy slide sideways to peer around him.

Steve stood closest to them, but behind him, surrounded by the rest of the household, stood Natasha and a strange man. He stood just shorter than Steve with shaggy brown hair, cold blue eyes, and a metallic left arm. His eyes took in both of them in a quick glance but he focused mostly on Clint. Darcy could understand that – of the two of them, Clint was definitely the biggest threat. She'd be more worried, but Steve and Natasha seemed….relaxed was the wrong word, but she couldn't come up with another one. The rest of the pack didn't seem quite so happy, but strangers had a tendency to upset the balance.

"Thank you." Steve smiled as his own shoulders relaxed. "Clint, Darcy, I want you to meet James Barnes." His blue eyes bright with happiness, he turned towards the stranger. "Bucky, this is Clint Barton and Darcy Lewis."

Bucky nodded, as did Clint, but Darcy rolled her eyes. "Nothing confusing there," she muttered. Bucky turned his frown on her, his gaze locking with hers. Something seemed to snap inside her mind, like a puzzle piece locking into place, and she noticed his nostrils flare as though he tried to scent something. She forced herself to remain steady and light, giving him a wide innocent smile. "So," she slipped around Clint until she stood in front of him, "do we call you James or Bucky or what?" He blinked, seemingly surprised about something, and she shrugged. "Well, Steve's calling you Bucky, but is that like a private nickname and everyone else should use James? Or are you going to ignore anyone calling out James because you're expecting to hear Bucky?"

"Bucky works," he said quietly. A hint of some new emotion entered his eyes. She couldn't have said what it was, but it seemed like a shadow lifted away.

"Good to know." Darcy meant it too, but even better – people seemed to be relaxing. If the pack could just settle down, maybe he would too. Steve gave her a grateful smile and Natasha nodded in approval. She responded with a quick smile before leaning back against Clint.

Steve started talking, explaining to them how he and Tasha and some other guy named Sam Wilson – who might or might not be joining them at some point in the near future – managed to find Bucky and bring him in. Darcy started tuning the words out when it began to get detailed way beyond her desire to know. She slipped away from Clint and headed for the kitchen, intent on finding the brownies she could smell. That seemed to be a sign to the others and they began breaking up.

"How did you know what to say?" Jane demanded softly. The petite scientist followed her into the kitchen.

"What?" Darcy asked distractedly as she scanned the countertops.

"Nobody else could figure out how to get him to relax," Jane explained, pulling herself onto a clear space. "He was getting more and more anxious which got Steve and Natasha wound up which got the whole pack nearing a tizzy." She shook her head. "You come in and ask three questions and suddenly everything's fine!"

Darcy shrugged. "Got me," she blinked at her friend. "I just figured we should make sure to get the name he wanted to be called by. No reason to go calling out something he won't answer to."

"Tony won't use it," Jane pointed out with a sigh.

"Tony's a loveable ass," Darcy retorted. "At least he's consistent. If he's using names, then we know some kind of shit's about to hit the fan." She opened the oven.

Jane frowned in confusion. "What are you looking for?"

"Brownies," Darcy replied. "I swear I can smell brownies…you know, the really rich dark chocolate kind?"

"Your nose is acting up," Jane told her with a laugh. "That or you're in desperate need of some chocolate. All I can smell is Bruce's favorite tea."

"Seriously?" Darcy drew in a breath. She could still smell those brownies, but now she realized the smell seemed to be coming from the sitting room. "That doesn't make any sense," she muttered as her confusion grew.

"What doesn't?" Jane asked curiously.

"I…I…" She shook her head and stepped to the doorway. Most of the pack had scattered, leaving Steve, Natasha, Clint, Thor, and Bucky alone to talk over the situation. Steve was busy explaining something to Clint and Thor while Natasha added her own commentary. None of them paid any attention to Darcy.

One pair of eyes immediately swung around and locked onto her. The rich, bittersweet scent intensified as Bucky's gaze caught hers and she could feel a tug somewhere near her sternum. Steve asked Bucky a question and those too-insightful blue eyes blinked and turned away. Released from their intensity, Darcy stepped backwards into the kitchen and let the door close.

"Darcy?" Jane hopped off the counter and moved up next to her. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Darcy turned and leaned back against the door. She buried her face in her hands for a long moment before her muffled voice finally responded. "I think I'm in trouble."


	2. Avoidance Never Works

_Author's Note: I've been startled by the response to this story, and I hope you like where it ends up going. Also, I should have put these in the beginning, but – TRIGGER WARNINGS: Rape/Non-con, Date rape drugs, Nonconsensual drug use – they will mostly be off-screen, but just to be safe._

**Avoidance Never Works**

Darcy blindly stared at her computer screen. She should have left the lab a couple of hours ago when Thor showed up to whisk Jane off somewhere, but she was still trying to turn things over in her mind. In the days since meeting Bucky, she'd started avoiding the Alpha. It meant she no longer made it to some of the full pack meetings or get-togethers, and people were beginning to notice. Jane kept checking up on her while Bruce made noises about checking her health. Natasha watched her with too-wise eyes and Pepper began dropping by the labs more often than usual with some excuse about Tony. Clint knew something was wrong, but how could she tell him? How could she explain?

Bucky scared her…but not in a bad way – which actually made it worse.

That dark scent grew more intoxicating every time she got anywhere close to Bucky and the pull of him grew stronger.

Briefly she wondered what scent he caught around her. She knew he did – she could see him subtly scent the air when she entered the room.

She didn't want to acknowledge it, so she went for the easiest solution she knew – denial and avoidance. It wasn't too difficult most of the time. Bucky usually stayed close to Steve and Natasha, running operations with them and the new guy, Sam. They rarely came down to the labs, and when they did, they were headed for Tony's, not Jane's. The few times they did cross each other's path seemed indelibly etched in her mind. His eyes held some strange form of acceptance – a little sad, a little cynical – and he never pushed the issue. He seemed to be waiting on her.

It brought her to her current trouble: the attraction kept growing and avoiding him wasn't working.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

The unexpected voice drew her out of her daze with a small shriek. She came up and around, throwing the first thing that came to her hand – a small stapler – before she ever realized what she was doing. Her eyes went wide with surprise as she watched Bucky seemingly pluck the stapler out of the air.

He looked down at it and his mouth twitched in amusement. Those blue eyes shifted up to catch her gaze. "Nice reaction," he complimented.

"Oh, my God," Darcy blinked, even as she drew in a breath of air redolent in the scent of dark chocolate. "I am so sorry! I didn't mean to…" She gave herself a shake before glaring at him. "Don't you know better than to sneak up on people in this place?"

"I wasn't sneaking, Doll," he told her as he leaned against the doorjamb. "You weren't paying attention." Her eyes narrowed and he held up his hands. "You seemed captivated by your computer."

She huffed, but conceded the point. "Yeah, well, don't do that again," she told him firmly. "Knock on the door, bang the wall, something." Then she frowned. "Did you need something? Jane's not here right now."

"I know," he replied quietly. "Saw Thor hauling a rather amused Doc off for pancakes at the, how did he put it, 'very fine eating establishment, the diner of Bob'." Darcy gave a soft snort of amusement and Bucky's lips curved upwards briefly. His face grew a little more somber. "Wasn't looking for the doc."

"Oh?" She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she felt her heart rate pick up slightly. "Umm…I'm not quite sure-."

"I was looking for you," he interrupted. She went still and he sighed. "I'm not going to hurt you, Darcy."

"I didn't think you were," she frowned at him.

Bucky leveled a direct look at her. "Then why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not-."

"Bullshit," he interrupted again, stepping further into the room and letting the door close behind him. He moved over to lean one hip on Jane's desk, keeping a good portion of the room between them. "I've got eyes and ears, and I'm really good at observation."

"So?" Darcy's chin came up in a touch of defiance, hopefully hiding the floundering going on in her mind. It looked like Bucky had reached the end of his patience and decided to confront her.

"So," he repeated in a light sarcastic tone, "according to the others, you've never missed a get-together before, and now you can't seem to make any of them. Stark's been bemoaning the loss of your presence at movie night." She bit her lip. His eyes zeroed in on the motion, but he continued in a steady tone. "And Doc, of all people, has been worrying about the amount of time you spend holed up in the labs." He gave a shrug, focusing on her eyes again. "The only thing I can find that's changed is me." Her eyes dropped, unable to hold his gaze. She heard him shift and then he continued. "If you don't think I'm going to hurt you, then why are you avoiding me?"

She couldn't figure out how to answer his question. Her hand came up, rubbing absentmindedly at her breastbone as she stared at the floor. The silence grew, deepening with each passing moment. If she really thought it would help, she'd start praying for an alarm or an alert of some kind. At least it would spare her this scrutiny. She knew his eyes never left her – she could feel the weight of them as they waited her out.

Why didn't he say something?

Her eyes shifted enough to realize he had not moved. He sat in the same position, quiet and watchful. He barely seemed to breathe. Not even a hair was out of place. Her brain kicked back in. Sniper, assassin – Bucky Barnes had been a sniper and the Winter Soldier was an assassin. She couldn't help herself – a small laugh escaped her. What was it with her and the people in her life?

"Care to share?"

"It's…well," she hesitated, peeping at him through her eyelashes, "you've got the best and worst of Natasha and Clint all rolled into one, don't you?" Bemusement entered his gaze and she waved a hand at him. "You…you've got this whole sneaky silent thing going on and you can do that frozen, 'nothing to see here, move along' routine. It's cool and freaksome all at the same time, though leaning more towards freaky when directed at me."

"You're avoiding the question," he pointed out calmly.

"I don't know how to answer the question!" Darcy folded her lips, arms crossing protectively over her chest. She had to give him props for not letting his gaze drop.

Bucky's eyes narrowed and he moved away from Jane's desk. His movements stayed smooth like a predator on the prowl. Slowly, slowly he made his way towards her. She rose from her chair, shifting her weight as she tried to decide her next move. He stepped within arm's reach and she stilled, as prey before a lion, ready to spring away. He stopped. "Why are you afraid of me, Darcy?" he asked gently. "Why can I see your pulse jumping?" His voice should be illegal.

She trembled. "You're throwing my world out of balance," she breathed out. His hands twitched like he wanted to reach out for her, but she leaned back against her desk and he went still once more. "Everything was settling. I have a great guy who enjoys spending time with me and not my figure; I have a best friend who is rewriting the laws of physics and makes the best margaritas outside of Texas in her spare time; I have an adopted big brother who adores me; I'm on a first name basis with heroes and legends and people who qualify as both; and I have the weirdest, most fantastic, craziest job on the planet." She shook her head, her mouth running away before her brain could stop it. "Then here you come with your bittersweet chocolate scent clouding the place and a presence that tugs at me here," her fist came up and tapped against her sternum, "and suddenly things are spinning out of control again."

"Darcy-."

Her eyes fell closed as he said her name. "I love Clint," she told him. "Yeah, I know he's just a Beta, and I get the drawbacks, but-."

"I know." His quiet admission brought her attention back to him. The lines of his face softened as he stared down at her. "I don't think anyone's missed that."

"Okay," she accepted his word. "Then maybe you can see the problem? That pull you've got…it worries me. That and the scent thing, since I'm pretty sure you've picked up both as well." Her eye met his in a question and he nodded. "What scent do I-." She stopped and shook her head. "Never mind, silly question. It's just that I'm….I guess I'm worried about being around you all the time because then I might have to look to deeply at what this all means and then it'll spill over into everything else and…" Now her voice trailed off and her eyes dropped to stare at the ground.

Silence filled the room, but only for a few moments.

He moved closer and took her chin in his hand and tilted her face up to meet his eyes. "What are you afraid you might find?" he asked gently.

"A connection," she replied, her lips trembling and her voice whisper-soft. His bittersweet scent swirled around her as her skin warmed beneath his touch. She watched as his nostrils flared and knew her scent, whatever it was, called to him as well. His eyes darkened, but she pulled back. "Clint-," she started.

His expression flickered, and she couldn't quite describe the emotions chasing each other across his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak.

"Pardon my interruption," JARVIS broke in suddenly.

Both of them jumped, startled, and Darcy couldn't help herself. All of that pent up emotion had to go somewhere. She giggled. Bucky blinked down at her in bemusement, but finally shook his head and stepped back. The hint of a smile touched his lips even as a shadow of longing still lingered in his eyes. Silence fell between them.

"Miss Lewis?" JARVIS spoke again in that infinitely patient and yet somehow exasperated tone Tony had managed to program. "Sergeant Barnes? My apologies for the interruption, but there is a news report I believe you might be interested in seeing."

Darcy gave herself a shake before sitting back down at her computer. "Okay, JARVIS, bring it up."

"At once, Miss Lewis."

A news release filled her screen. She felt Bucky move up behind her and her fingers trembled. His larger form seemed to envelope her. The sensation made her feel totally vulnerable and yet completely protected all at the same time. She had to close her eyes for a moment to try and compartmentalize everything before pushing this attraction to the back of her mind.

"Shit."

Her eyes flew open as his voice, now hard and angry, hissed past her ear. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye to find him glaring at her screen. "What?" she asked before turning her own gaze to the monitor.

"Read it." He pulled away, pacing the office in an unhappy stalk.

Her eyes focused and she began to read.

_**New Street Drug Wreaking Havoc Among Omegas in Asia**_

_By Irene Merryweather_

_A new drug, nicknamed 'Kitty-cat', has hit the streets in Asia and it's terrifying the Omegas of the community. _

_The Omega cycle has long been a fact of life for the entire species, and Omegas themselves know to take certain precautions during their season to insure their safety. _

'_Kitty-cat' is undermining that safety._

_The concept of a date rape drug has long been known. The victim, usually though not always a woman, of such a drug is unable to fight back or prevent a sexual assault. Quite often the victim cannot even remember the details of the assault due to the nature of the drug. The drug may not even be found in their system if a victim does not seek professional assistance quickly enough._

_This new drug takes the date rape to a whole new level of evil._

'_Kitty-cat' sends Omegas into a simulated heat for twenty-four hours. According to all reports, this false heat mimics the real one to an alarming degree. The Omega is, quite literally, unable to resist the need to mate. The drug, in effect, forces her to be an active participant in her own rape._

_Scientists working closely with the authorities tell us the drug is fast acting. An Omega begins to show signs within fifteen to twenty minutes and is likely to be in full heat within thirty. It takes twenty-four hours to work its way through her system. Victims have reportedly been unable to identify anyone who might have slipped them the drug._

"_Unfortunately," states one anonymous Tokyo law official, "our efforts to determine fault is undermined by the nature of the crime. Riots and arguments have broken out between Alphas in the process and no one is sure if the person who slipped the drugs to the victims is the same one who surrendered to the mating urge. Unless we find some proof of the drug on their persons, in their vehicles, or in their homes, we will have no sure legal grounds for charging them."_

'_Kitty-cat' takes advantage of our species' nature and leaves us vulnerable._

Darcy stared at the screen for a long moment. "That's sick," she finally muttered, a cold shiver running down her spine.

"Among other things," Bucky growled. His eyes glared at the computer screen as if he could reach through it to burn the bastard to the ground.

"JARVIS," Darcy spoke up, an idea coming to her. "Are there any other reports?"

"The major news agencies have only recently begun to pick up the story, Miss Lewis," the AI replied. "There are a few minor differences between them – mostly technical in nature."

She sat back, humming to herself for a moment. Bucky paused his pacing and watched her curiously. "What about minor news groups, blogs, or just plain gossip?" she questioned.

"And police reports," Bucky added. She lifted a brow and he shook his head. "If it's moving out of Asia, which it almost certainly has," he added with a snarl, "the crooks and the cops are the ones who'll hear it first."

"Accessing," JARVIS replied.

Darcy frowned again, her eyes drifting back to the report. "What kind of person comes up with this stuff?" she murmured, the useless rhetorical question escaping her.

"The jackass kind."

"I can get behind that," she chuckled, her gaze shifting to meet his. For the first time, she didn't turn away – it was simply her talking to another member of the pack. And it worked. His shoulders relaxed as he hitched his hip on the corner of Jane's desk. "I can also think of some other descriptions," she continued, her voice taking on a sarcastic edge.

"Me, too," he countered with a smirk, "but none of them fit for mixed company."

"I have the information requested," JARVIS entered the conversation. "Minor news agencies and local police reports show an upswing in the number of sexual assaults involving Omegas as the victim in the past six to nine months. Most of the cases seem to involve some form of anterograde amnesia. The files show a marked resemblance to other files involving drugs commonly referred to collectively as 'date rape drugs'." The AI paused and then continued. "The majority of the reported cases are located in Asia, indicating that continent as the likely source of the drug. Reports are also being filed in Russia, Eastern Europe, Northern Australia, and the Middle East. Only a handful of reports have surfaced in Western Europe, Africa, and the Americas."

"More'll be showing up soon," Bucky muttered. His hands clenched and unclenched. "It's only a matter of time."

"Because you can't put a secret back in the bag," Darcy sighed.

Their eyes met in a grim understanding of human nature. He might have more direct experience, but she was no slouch there either. Having a figure like hers meant a lot of unwelcome attention - from both men and women. "I hate it when creeps have the upper hand."

"Personal experience?"

"I don't carry a taser for show," she shrugged. "Thor wasn't the first person I'd taken down with it. He was just the first that turned out to be worth knowing. The previous times? Creeps…every last one of them."

A dark light entered his gaze, but she could see him wrestle it down. "Recently?"

"No," she reassured him. "These days I barely even have to threaten with it." Her shoulders went up as she made a humorous face. "The extra benefits of hanging out with such a dangerous crowd, I guess."

"Because Doom and his ilk are less dangerous than a creep at a club?" he lifted a sardonic brow at her.

"Okay," she tilted her head in acknowledgment of his hit. "So I get an entirely different brand of bad guys to deal with these days. At least Doom tends to be more 'in your face' creepy than the type of guy who likes to slip drugs in girls' drinks." Her eyes narrowed. "I'd push that type of guy into a puddle of water before hitting him with my taser." Mischief blossomed in her smile. "Better yet – I'll push him into a pool and get Thor to call the lightning. Bet that would show him."

"Vicious, aren't you, Doll?" The mock chastisement in his words did nothing to hide his agreement.

She rolled her eyes. "Like some guy wouldn't get worse around this place if he tried something like that on one of the females here."

Now his gaze turned fierce and predatory. "He'd better hope the authorities are already on scene." The dark tone of his voice combined both threat and promise.

"My point," she concurred, nodding at him. "And that's just you. Now add in everyone else and it starts to get nasty." She lifted her hands in a shrug. "Good thing we're the good guys and things like that would only happen to someone trying to avoid being detained."

That drew a chuckled from him and a smile blossomed over her face. Their eyes locked and for one moment the link between them seemed to almost sing. Darcy blinked and then her shoulders hunched as she broke away from his gaze. He sighed and she focused on a spot just over his shoulder. "We still need to talk." He folded his arms over his chest, not so much closing her out, she thought, as defending himself it seemed.

She rubbed her temples with her fingertips. "I know," she replied in a soft voice. "I just…" Her words trailed away and she closed her eyes to breathe for a moment. She couldn't decide whether to curse or chuckle when her mind took the opportunity to focus on his scent yet again. No one's scent should be so decadent. A sigh escaped her and she refocused on him. He hadn't moved; he remained a silent guardian, waiting for her to speak. "I need to figure out where I'm at first. Yes, I know there's you and there's this," here she touched her sternum, referencing the pull both of them felt, "but there's also months and years of other things, plus…there's Clint."

Something that might have been jealously flared in his eyes before being quickly banked and he nodded. "I know," he agreed, and she frowned at the tone in his voice. It held the sound of acceptance, almost a defeated note. His face grew a little cold, like he was trying to put up a barrier between them. Her heart twisted at the sight.

"I didn't mean-." She stopped and forced herself to think about her words, examining each of them before she spoke. His eyes flickered and focused. "I'm not saying no," she explained carefully. "This isn't…this isn't something that's going to just…go away. We'll need to face it, but-."

"You love him," he finished simply.

"Yes."

They stared at each other for several long silent minutes. The nascent connection between them wavered and pulsed, hinting at the strength of the bond they could have if they chose to take it. It almost frightened her, the realization of how deep the connection could go. All they had to do was accept it.

"Promise me something?" he finally asked.

She tilted her head slightly. "What?"

"Stop avoiding the pack gatherings." His simple request felt like a sharp rebuke although she could clearly see he had not meant it as such. She could feel a small sound, sorrowful and forlorn, forming in the back of her throat, but he shook his head. "Don't." Bucky moved, stepping in close to take her hand. He pulled her out of her chair, drew her close, and wrapped his arms around her.

It could have been cheating, but it wasn't. There was nothing romantic or even sensual about it. It was the type of hug she gave Bruce after a frustrating day with Tony, or one she would force on Natasha when the red-head came in from a troubling SHIELD mission. It was simply one of those moments that reinforced the pack itself. She let herself rest there, absorbing that sense of connection.

"I didn't mean to upset you," he said quietly into her hair, "but they miss you. There's a hole that shouldn't be there."

"I know," she replied.

He pulled back and placed one hand under her chin to tilt her face up to his. "Promise me?" he prompted.

Darcy gave him an apologetic smile. "I promise."

"Good." He paused long enough to be noticeable as shadow and light filtered into his gaze. Finally, his body set in an unhappy line, he released her and stepped back. "Tonight's movie night," he reminded her.

"I'll be there."

Bucky nodded and turned towards the door. He opened it, but glanced back before stepping out. "Oh, and its cherries."

"What is?" she frowned.

"Your scent," he clarified. "You fill the room with cherries." He left, quietly closing the door behind him.

Darcy let herself slump back into her chair as she gazed blankly around the room. "Now what?"

She could feel the bond between her and Bucky humming, hovering on the edge of opening. Bonds were whispered about, barely covered in any classroom. Actually they tended to be taught more from silence than from actual teaching. Most lessons focused on the unbonded, with a nod being given to the depth of commitment required by a bond and the level of aggression one of the bonded could reach if someone threatened their mate. General knowledge held that the bond opened at the first mating. That's what she had always believed – until she met Jane and they discovered Thor. She'd been there. Their bond was open and set before he returned home…and there had certainly been no time for hanky-panky. Not to mention it had been the wrong time of the season.

Now, with Bucky, she found once again – general knowledge got it wrong. She could feel the bond, hear it almost. Jane's words in New Mexico finally made sense – _"I just had to want it open." _The bond didn't need the physical connection, though she would be that didn't hurt. It just needed her to recognize it and accept it.

Her spirit urged her to follow him while her heart pulled her towards Clint and her mind felt trapped between the two.

She was going to have to choose.

"What do I do now?"


End file.
